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Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

"I have always known about man. From the evidence, I believe his wisdom must walk hand and hand with his idiocy. His emotions must rule his brain. He must be a warlike creature who gives battle to everything around him, even himself." - Dr. Zaius

Re: Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

Great for showing the flag and intimidating countries like Vietnam, maybe. Otherwise not very effective at this point. I wonder how much time it will spend at sea anyway. And forget about proper carrier ops. They're years from that.

Re: Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

Seems like that expression was changed in theearly 1940s when aircraft carriers were the 'new boat in the navy' and the "Gun Line Admirals" were dreading that the Battleship would be obsolete.....

"Don't tell the Battleship Admirals at the Navy Department!"

My Pledge - America must win this war. Therefore, I will work, I will save,I will sacrifice, I will endure, I will fight cheerfully and do my utmost, As if the issue of the whole struggle depended on me alone." Pvt Martin Treptow,

Re: Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

Good point Kevin. I actually do believe that aircraft carriers are rapidly becoming obsolete. I mean, one good hit by a missile and there goes a multi-billion dollar investment, to say nothing of several thousand highly trained and technical Navy personnel.

Re: Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

Originally Posted by Nexus6

Good point Kevin. I actually do believe that aircraft carriers are rapidly becoming obsolete. I mean, one good hit by a missile and there goes a multi-billion dollar investment, to say nothing of several thousand highly trained and technical Navy personnel.

I think your claiming the death of the Carrier is a bit premature. Understand your point, but in terms of almost instantaneous power projection around the world, a carrier is the best asset in the United States arsenal. Sure you can put a flight of B-2's to put bombs on target within 12 hours anywhere in the world, but ability to power project continuously for a 1,000 miles in any direction, the carrier is the answer.

Re: Report confirms China's aircraft carrier

Originally Posted by Dave68124

I think your claiming the death of the Carrier is a bit premature. Understand your point, but in terms of almost instantaneous power projection around the world, a carrier is the best asset in the United States arsenal. Sure you can put a flight of B-2's to put bombs on target within 12 hours anywhere in the world, but ability to power project continuously for a 1,000 miles in any direction, the carrier is the answer.

I sort of hear you Dave. Again though, I didn't proclaim the carrier dead and buried, rather that it is well on its way.

FYI, I'm heavily influenced by the great Canadian military historian Gwynne Dyer. To quote Dyer (who in turn was paraphrasing Italian air power theorist Giulio Douhet), all defense against airborne attack works on the basis of attrition. That is, some of the attacking planes/missiles are usually going to get through. In the heyday of the aircraft carrier during WW2 the carriers could (and often did) survive hits from the relatively weak bombs used, though the results were also sometimes catastrophic (e.g. Midway). In the modern world of tactical nukes though, if even one gets through then there goes the carrier task force.